Happy BC Day

Every community has a weekend to celebrate summer in BC where I live, we celebrate summer on BC Day. BC Day is a fun weekend for many of us. I hope that you had a chance to take part in some of the following activities that celebrate who we are as a people and as a province within Canada.

1.   Celebrate BC Day Festival in Coquitlam: Taking place at Town Centre Park, this festival celebrates BC Day with family-friendly activities. (Source: Vancouver's Best Places)

2.   Brigade Days at Fort Langley: A three-day celebration featuring folk in period costume over the BC Day Long Weekend (August 2-4, 2025). (Source: Vancouver's Best Places)

3.   BC Day Long Weekend at Sun Peaks Resort: Enjoy FREE family-friendly activities from August 1-3, 2025. (Source: Sun Peaks Resort)

Summer Activities:

1.   Strawberry Picking: Visit one of the best strawberry picking farms in Metro Vancouver. (Source: Vancity Kids)

2.   Hiking and Biking at Big White Ski Resort: Explore epic hiking and biking adventures. (Source: Big White Ski Resort)

3.   Summer Camps in Vancouver: Various day camps, overnight camps, sports, drama, music, and more. (Source: Vancouver Kids Out and About)

4.   Festivals and Events in Victoria: A range of festivals and cultural events worth planning a trip around. (Source: Clipper Vacations)

Other Events and Activities:

1.   Concord Pacific's Free Family Bike Festival and Tour de Concord Cycling Race: A fun event on July 13, 2025. (Source: Daily Hive)

2.   Khatsahlano Street Party: A celebration on July 5, 2025, in Vancouver. (Source: Carmanah Hotel)

3.   Granville Block Party: A festival in Vancouver with live music, food, and activities. (Source: Carmanah Hotel)

4.   NESTFEST at Red Bird Brewing in Kelowna: A two-day celebration with live music over the BC Day long weekend. (Source: Tourism Kelowna)

These are just a few examples of the many events and activities happening in BC over the BC Day long weekend and throughout the summer. Here are a few more:

Festivals & Cultural Celebrations

1.   Vancouver Pride Parade and Festival – A major event usually held around BC Day, celebrating LGBTQ2S+ communities with a colorful parade, live music, and inclusive activities.

2.   Harmony Arts Festival (West Vancouver) – A 10-day celebration of arts, music, food, and crafts by the waterfront.

3.   Powell Street Festival (Vancouver) – Canada’s largest Japanese-Canadian festival featuring martial arts, taiko drumming, food, and cultural performances.

4.   Filomi Days (Port Hardy) – A North Island festival celebrating fishing, logging, and mining with parades, kids’ games, and fireworks.

5.   Kamloopa Powwow (Kamloops) – One of the largest Indigenous cultural celebrations in Western Canada, showcasing traditional dance, song, and art.

Outdoor Activities & Adventures

6.   Camping and Hiking – Popular provincial parks like Garibaldi, Cultus Lake, and Strathcona fill up quickly as people enjoy extended stays outdoors.

7.   Paddling and Boating – Kayaking on Okanagan Lake, canoeing on the Bowron Lakes, or taking a boat out in Desolation Sound.

8.   Beach Days – Kitsilano Beach (Vancouver), Willows Beach (Victoria), or Skaha Lake (Penticton) are packed with sun-seekers.

9.   Cycling Events and Family Rides – Bike paths throughout BC, such as the Galloping Goose Trail or the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, offer scenic cycling getaways.

Local Markets & Food Events

10. Farmers’ Markets – Seasonal BC-grown produce, artisanal goods, and local treats are in full swing in communities across the province.

11. Food Truck Festivals – Especially in cities like Vancouver, Surrey, and Kelowna, offering a wide array of international cuisine.

12. Winery & Brewery Tours – Okanagan wine country is especially popular for tastings and picnics during the long weekend.

Community Events & Fireworks

13. Fireworks Shows – Some communities cap off the weekend with fireworks displays, particularly in waterfront towns or resort areas.

14.  Community Picnics and Barbecues – Local parks often host family-friendly gatherings with games, live music, and grilled favorites.

15.  BC Day Parades – Smaller towns like Hope, Fort St. John, or Ladysmith may host local parades celebrating their history and culture.

Performing Arts & Entertainment

16.  Theatre Under the Stars (Vancouver) – A long-running outdoor musical theatre tradition in Stanley Park.

17.   Live Music Concerts – Many cities have free outdoor concerts in parks, including symphony performances and local bands.

Happy BC Day

This day allows all of in the province the chance to celebrate our achievements or relax with friends and family members.

The Steller's Jay is the provincial bird of British Columbia. ©iStockphoto.com/Frank Leung

What can people do?

In British Columbia many people use the long weekend to make short trips out of town and into one of the areas of beautiful scenery. Some go camping, while others walk, hike or plan canoe trips. As the first Monday in August falls in the middle of the summer season, many people incorporate BC Day into their summer vacation or a plan it as part of a longer trip. In urban areas, particularly in Vancouver, various celebrations are organized. These include firework displays, parades and cultural festivals. Events are held to mark the achievements of people from Canada’s west coast in the areas of sport, technology, cuisine and Canadian-Japanese culture.

Public life

BC Day is a statutory holiday in British Columbia and many people have a day off work. Post offices and many businesses and organizations, such as libraries, are closed. A few stores may be open depending on the local custom. Public transport services may be reduced or may not run at all. Schools are closed as the first Monday in August falls in the middle of the summer holiday period.

Background

Indigenous peoples have inhabited British Columbia, as described in their oral traditions. There are claims by the English to have explored the region in the 16th century, but it was the Majorcan-born Spanish navigator Juan José Pérez Hernández who did the first documented travel 1774. In 1778 English explorer James Cook reached Nootka Sound and set foot on British Columbian soil. There were several gold finds in British Columbia in the 1850s. The British colonial office responded to this situation by establishing British Columbia’s mainland as a crown colony in 1858, naming it the Colony of British Columbia. In 1871 British Columbia became the sixth province of the Dominion of Canada.

The British Columbia Day Act was first introduced to the Legislative Assembly in 1974. The aim of the Bill was to create a statutory holiday on the first Monday in August to recognize the pioneers in the province and the act gained royal assent in 1996.

Symbols

There are a number of symbols of British Columbia. These include the Steller's Jay (a bird), the Pacific Dogwood (a flower), jade (a mineral), the Western Red Cedar (a tree) and the provincial tartan, which contains colours to represent many aspects of the province. Two important symbols of British Columbia are the flag and the coat of arms. The top part of the flag consists of a union flag with a crown in the centre  These represent the colonial links with the country and monarch of the United Kingdom. The lower part of the flag consists of a setting sun on a background of blue and white waves. These represent the geographical location of the province on the west coast of Canada between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. These elements also appear in the coat of arms.

Happy BC Day

Some background on this day:

The first Monday of August is known as British Columbia Day, BC Day or B.C. Day, in the province of British Columbia. It is a statutory holiday and gives Canadians in the province the chance to celebrate their achievements or relax with friends and family members.

The British Columbia Day Act, R.S.B.C. 1996 c.34 was first introduced in 1974 as Bill 61 by the Hon. Ernie Hall, the Provincial Secretary under Premier Dave Barrett. The explanatory notes prefacing the bill states: "The purposes of this Bill is to recognize the pioneers of British Columbia by declaring the first Monday of August in each year to be a public holiday known as British Columbia Day."

From the B.C. Debates, 4th Session, 30th Parliament, May 1, 1974, the Hon. Hall states, "August 1, or the closest working day to it, is a statutory holiday in every other province in Canada. By coincidence, an Act to provide to the Government of British Columbia, which changed us from the Colony of British Columbia, was passed by Parliament in the United Kingdom on August 2, 1858....

"We feel that British Columbia, like every other province could benefit and should have a holiday around August 1. We feel that the holiday should be dedicated to the pioneers who built the colony of British Columbia into the great province it is today..."

The aim of the Bill was to create a statutory holiday on the first Monday in August to recognize the pioneers in the province and the act gained royal assent in 1996.

Enjoy the day, as we remember the pioneers who built this beautiful province